Baraga read with great emotion the Pastoral Letter of the Bishop. He is anxious to meet him and receive his episcopal blessing, but as he cannot leave his mission, he begs the Bishop to give him the blessing in spirit when he reads these lines. Baraga also declares with God as a witness that he will render obedience to the Bishop in everything pertaining to his holy office. He thinks that obedience is the soul of spiritual life. Then Baraga cites in Latin 7 phrases about the virtue of obedience. He has always wanted to belong to a religious order because of his love for obedience, but something always prevented him from doing so. Now he asks the Bishop to put him under obedience so he will have the merits of obedience in everything he does as a missionary. Concerning his needs, he asks only to receive the money his parents or his good friends from Europe will send him. :: III-2-g A.L.S. France, Latin 3pp.